Welcome!

The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library, organized in 1952, is the oldest Friends group in the Boston Public Library system. We are a group of people who love libraries and all the enrichment they bring to our community. We especially love the Jamaica Plain Branch.

We plan and sponsor free educational and cultural programs for the JP community, including the management of the gallery space

We raise funds to purchase and lend freemuseum passes to library patrons

We raise funds to purchase library materials and supplies for the JP Branch

We advocate for enhancements to the library and its collections

We strongly supported a complete renovation and expansion of the JP Branch Library in order to better serve the needs of the JP community - that was completed in 2017

Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.

A resident of Jamaica Plain for over 30 years, Kevin Gillespie paints serene, closely studied scenes of his neighborhood’s many natural wonders, including Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum. His work, often done en plein air, captures the shadows of tree branches, the ripples of water, and the changes of the season observed along the well-trod paths of the region’s parks. The medium of watercolor allows for subtle gradations in color and texture along with small details like fallen leaves and footprints in the snow.

Kevin Gillespie: Local Scenesis on view from January 4 through February 28, 2019, with a public open house to be held by the Friends of the Jamaica Plain Library on Thursday, January 10, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday-Saturday 9-5 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.

The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library are happy to announce the following artists selected for the 2019 exhibition season. Over 50 proposals were reviewed by the 5-member selection committee, comprised of both library staff and members of the community.